The Santa Lucia Festival of Lights starts at 7 a.m. Saturday at Salem Lutheran Church, and that means there was work to do in the church kitchen Wednesday evening.

In preparation for the 69th year of Santa Lucia, Salem hosted a Scandinavian baking and learning session while making krumkake, almond rusks and sandbakkels.

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Small tins are prepared while making Sandbakkels, traditional Norwegian Christmas Cookies, Wednesday, Dec. 13, at Salem Lutheran Church in St. Cloud. (Photo: Dave Schwarz, dschwarz@stcloudtimes.com)

The Saturday event is open to the public. It is a Scandinavian festival hearkening back to the 16th century. After the candlelight service, church members serve potato sausage, cookies and coffee. There is also a Christmas market.

Salem Lutheran Church is at 90 Riverside Drive SE, near East St. Germain Street.